. . . record highs across much of the areas. >> what you can expect if you need to hit the stores right now on "news 4 midday." a deadly tornado sweat

through the midwest and the south killing seven people. that same storm that is bringing us a christmas eve rain storm in our area. let's get right to chuck bell with more on the forecast. chuck? >> good morning, barbara. good morning, everyone. we have already seen quite a bit of rain early this morning. most of the heavy rain remains in southern charles, southern calvert and much of st. mary's county. these individual cells are racing across the lower part of the bay. marine warnings in and around the metro. we have a flash flood watch. the threat of any additional flooding rains in the metro is going down. most of the heavy rain has pushed down to the south. record highs set at dulles. we have tied the record. we are easily going to get into the 70s today. that record will fall as well. how long this warm weather sticks around coming up in a few more minutes. >> if you happen to be traveling today, we are tracking cancellations and delays at airports across the country. right now, there are more than

600 delays and dozens of cancellations. we just checked. there are 13 at reagan national and, boy, oh, boy, you can expect crowded highways. 2.5 million will be on the roads taking advantage of the cheap gas prices. >> now, to that developing story we have been talking about. deadly tornadoes moving through the midwest and into the south. they left complete devastation behind. nbc's mark potter has a look at the damage and the latest on the death toll joining us now from mississippi. >> reporter: behind me is one of the houses struck by the trn. as you can see, the roof has partially collapsed. the house itself was knocked off its foundation. pushing that direct about five feet. the sheriff tells us the people that live there are okay. this he were not hurt. they did have to spend the night in a shelter in clarksdale. the power crews have been out here since first light this morning repairing the down lines. this he have a small army out here trying to get people their power back. the storm system yesterday

spawned dozens of tornadoes in several states causing widespread damage. some people are still missing and today the authorities are out looking for them to see if they can find them or to de determine if there are more victims. a very grim task in he time but specially during the holidays. mark potter, nbc news, clarksdale, mississippi. right now, some holiday shoppers are navigating around a problem in alexandria. one lane in each direction is now open on duke street between swelie and south quarer. there has been a water main break. we are told it could still take hours to fix it. water had been shut off earlier but it is back on for most people. we will alert you as soon as we find out when the entire street will reopen. >> i'm molette green talking to shoppers on this christmas eve just hours to go before the big day and you had to do some last-minute shopping. >> yes, i did. >> i just found out i am going

to beat a bunch of friends more than i thought so i had to get them something. >> she spent a lot of money but got good deals. we are going to tell you why shoppers say this is the best day to do their holiday shopping. i'm molette green, live at tyson's mall. back to you. >> right now, police are looking for the driver who left the scene of a serious crash in southeast d.c. this all happened on naylor road near alabama avenue. you can see these cars hit each other pretty hard. two are now in serious condition. we are looking to find out which driver left the scene before police arrived. >> a high-profile investigator faces charges for taking in indecent liberties with a minor. he is well-known for investigating illegal drug traveling. we have featured him. fairfax county police caught him in a sting operation. >> a detective assumed the

identity of the victim and he went ahead and make contact with mr. carrie. he had already had inappropriate sexual contact with the 14-year-old boy prior to tuesday. developing right now, a ninth suspect has been arrested in connection with last month's deadly attacks in paris. this morning, officials announced they arrested a 36-year-old man in brussels yesterday. he is being held on charges of taking part in a terrorist group and murders. police say he is a belgium citizen and was in contact with the cousin of the mastermind of the paris attacks. >> it is certainly beginning to look a lot like christmas. the washington national cathedral services are about to get underway at noon. the first of three services. the others are late tonight at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. the cathedral will also celebrate christmas day masses tomorrow. christmas grinches are out to steal your information. how to spot this santa scam and how a hack at a

a consumer alert they are calling the santa scam. an e-mail is going around promising a hand written letter or a personalized phone call that tells you to go to a website and enter your personal information, including a credit card. look for grammar or spelling mistakes. that could be a tip-off something is wrong. >> if you recently stayed at a hyatt hotel, hackers may have gotten access to your credit card information. hyatt hotel has announced they have discovered malware on computers used for payment processing on november the 30th. the company didn't say why it waited three weeks to alert the public. it did say it is investigating. hyatt said customers should look

over their account statements and report any suspicious charges. a fairfax county student posted threatening messages on instagram. her mother says bullying made her do that. she was on a so-called hate list and threatened her classmates with death or serious harm. investigators say the girl made up an instagram account and used emojis of a gun, knife and even a gun. her mother spoke with us and said, she doesn't think her daughter would actually hurt anyone. >> as a mom, i don't fknow what to tell you. >> her daughter is facing felony charges. these kind of threats can be disruptive. officials are asking parents to talk with their kids about using social media. >> there is one month are day for deals, shoppers can look forward to before the year is over. it is not today. it is not today. when to mark your c

why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun. unleash the power of dough.

give it a pop. fedex says it has been operating around the clock and the network is performing like it should. with your cnbc morning business report, i'm kate rogers. >> putting off your holiday shopping may be a pretty smart thing. retail experts says there will be a mass self selloff of winter clothing because it is so warm. look for prices to be more than 40% off on afrmg. you will also find deep discounts on seasonal items. the deals stop when you get to electronics and toys. experts say retailers offer better deals on black friday and

cybermonday. if you are driving locally, warm and showery weather is likely to continue. it may slow you down a little bit. if you are driving i-95 southbou southbound, heavy rain and thunderstorms. wig delays on many of the eastern hubs. you may want to call ahead. raleigh, a big hub for american. u.s. air hub for charlotte an delta's hub. rain and thunderstorm headed into the richmond area. there is 95 southbound through richmond. that will be impacted in the next little bit. all that heavy rain going across southern maryland as well. may have a little chance for more showers here in the metro. i will show you when the rain may be moveriing right back int the metro. >> chipotle is changing how they prepare ingredients after a season of outbreaks linked to its restaurants. employees will now chop tomatoes, sill androand other fresh foods at a central

locations, rather than individual restaurants allowing for easier testing. the changes should not impact taste, though. the cdc hasn't identified what is actually triggering those outbreaks. we are working to keep your kids safe. three tips

developing now, a frantic search for survivors after signs

of life were detected three days after a massive landslide in china. more than 5,000 rescuers are sifting through the rubble trying to find any of the 74 people still missing. monday's collapse toppled several buildings and buried people alive. the so-called 72-hour golden period to find survivors has passed. new technology indicates some may still be alive. u.s. officials are on high alert after getting threats in beijing. this video is just coming in showing a bigger police presence. it warned westerners about going to popular shopping areas on or around christmas day. the u.s., british and french industries are warning the citizens and government personnel, stay alert in beijing. >> a popular republican governor under fire for a holiday party she threw for her staff. what happened after that is causing controversy. >> reporter: new mexico's governor dodging questions about her holiday staff party that has

her integrity under attack. workers at the eldorado hotel in santa fe say the party carried over in the hotel room. >> they have been warned and they are still not quieting down. >> reporter: that was the 911 call from the hotel's front desk. >> dispatch got another call. >> hi, this is governor suzanna martinez. calling police dispatch personally demanding to know which hotel guest complained. then, asking officers to be called off. >> and i want to know who they are. >> i'm not allowed to give that information. >> oh, you can tell it to the police but they won't tell you? you won't tell me? i'll get it from the cops. >> an initial apology was made. >> i should have never talked to central dispatch the way i did and i own it. >> reporter: since, new audio from a santa fe police officer responding that night is raising questions about her statement

that she only had a drink and a half. the officer heard on the recording saying she seems inebriated. she also seems to refute her own public denials that bottles had been thrown from a hotel balcony. >> there were bottles being thrown over. it said get the hell out and stop. >> snowballs, not bottles being thrown. no glass was ever found. for critics, it provides further evidence the popular republican governor can't be trusted. a holiday party that has turned into a political hangover. for today, blake mccoy, nbc news. right now, police in montgomery county are searching for a man who has gone missing in the county. he is in pennsylvania. last seen earlier this week near the grovner station in bethesda. he was a passenger in a vehicle but got out near rockdale pike in tucker lane. his family is concerned for his

welfare and emotional well-being. keeping a very careful eye on a very busy weather day. 69 at national airport. that ties the record high. we may not be 100% done with our rain chances in the metro area. the heaviest rain and biggest thunderstorms are likely well to our south. there are more showers near charlottesville that are aiming in our general direction. don't completely put away your rain chances for the rest of the day. here is future weather by 1:45, 2:00. here comes the next little batch that may bring us another period of brief, moderate rain showers. things should settle down after 6:00. if you are headed out, it will be mild. it should be on the dry side. the seven-day forecast when i see you next. >> despite the warm temperatures, maryland's only ski report, the wisp resort will start welcoming guests on

saturday. it does have special carpets that allow people to ski and snowboard on a synthetic surface. last year, it officially opened on december 13th. a newly released police report details a pattern of parties and underage drinking at a home linked to the deaths of two teenagers from montgomery county. you may remember alex merc and calvin lee died in a car crash back in june. police say the crash was alcohol related. officers say the group was leaving a party at a home in north potomac. yesterday, they obtained the new police report. police say teenagers told them the homeowners regularly let them drink at the home but would check to make sure people got home safely. the man that shot up a colorado planned parenthood will undergo a mental health evaluation. a judge ordered the evaluation for robert deer after he told the judge he wants to represent himself in court. he will spend the next 60 days at a state mental hospital and be back in court in february. he is accused of killing three people in the shooting last

month. >> in news for your health, some tips to keep your youngest children happy and healthy as you travel this holiday season. first after, don't bundle up toddlers and babies in big winter coats if they ride in a car seat. those coats can keep the seats from doing their job. bring a blanket for the ride instead. tip number two, check the nightstand next to your child's bed if you are staying away from home. you don't want medicine, things like that anywhere where they can reach. when the time comes to open the gifts, watch what your toddler tries to put in his or her mouth. the older siblings new toys can come with a lot of small parts. >> lost and found. the local

something loss the long ago finally found by the strangest of circumstances. >> melissa pa lwalks us through incredible reunion.

>> the look for the owner of the ring spanned several states. in the end, a beautiful reeun dwrun and tears thanks to one letter that started it all. >> hello, my grandmother, dorothy parks, found this class ring left on a table in either camden, tennessee or huntington, tennessee, in the 1990s. >> the letter hand written. before she died, she asked me to try to find the ring's owner. >> addressed to someone, anyone, at gaithersburg high school in maryland with the love for a good mystery. >> the ring is 10 karat gold from 1951. >> the 1951 graduation date and initials inside. >> i was able to come upstairs into the media center and pull out the year book and do some research. for my good graces, there was only one person in that year book that fit the initials rno. >> raymond neal owens, class of 1951, known as shorty.

lor lorie augustino, wrote a letter to a raymond neal owens jr. explaining. >> i was crying like a baby. it was so amazing. >> shock and tears, neal reunited with his late father's ring. he passed away in 2012. >> i had no idea it was lost. searching through you old photos, i actually found an itinerary of this trip. >> an eye tennitinerary trip t tennessee when that ring must have been lost. >> having a part of him brings back a lot of really good memories of all the things he taught me. >> an unexpected reunion. >> so many things that could have happened. it could have been pawned or thrown in a drawer and forgotten about. >> a new friendship. >> it was so nice to be able to give this back.

>> a memento neal never knew about that means so much. >> i am so happy to have that that i can carry with me for the rest of life. >> in gaithersburg, maryland, news 4. sometimes it is the things that cost the least that mean the most. it is no secret rent in the district is high. where do we fall compared to

d.c. is the second least affordable area. only honolulu, hawaii, is more expensive than d.c. yesterday's report is based on the percent of salaries people spend on their rent. they found that d.c. renters spent an average of 60% on their monthly wages on their rent compared to the nationwide average of 37%.

>> i can tell you, you don't get much of a break trying to buy a house here either. fan duel and draft kings are facing more trouble in illinois. they ruled the fantasy sports sites are illegal under state law. this comes a month after new york made a similar decision. they issued a statement saying the company disagrees with the decision in illinois and tends to fight for its right to operate there. nbc's parent company, comcast, is one of the investors in fan duel. busy weather day across much of the east coast. weather will continue to impact your plans. noon to 4:00, warm and showery weather. 4:00 to 8:00, most of the showers coming toen aend. things will be getting better. 8:00 p.m. to midnight, cloudy and mild. here is your seven-day forecast. 75 across parts of the area for today. that's a report. 63, tomorrow morning. that's a report. 70 tomorrow. we will miss the record by only two. saturday morning, highs, wake-up

temperatures in the mid-50s. that will be a record. sunday morning, that's a record and sunday afternoon, that's a record. crazy warm weather, we do turn a little cooler into the early parts of next week. still, not anywhere near cold by late december standards. >> thank you, chuck. >> one virginia school district

really cold outside. right now, duke street on this balmy day in alexandria, partially reopened after a water maine break. this is a live look where there is a huge hole in the road. we are told that repairs could last into the rush-hour commute. water is running again in the area. one lane in each direction of duke street is still closed between swili and south quaker. >> seven people have died after tornadoes ripped through the midwest in the south. dozens of homes have been destroyed in four states. good morning. 11:30 now. what to expect on your christmas eve, kind of stormy, specially from washington southbound. heaviest rain, southern maryland towards the northern neck in fredericksburg. everybody is experiencing down right humid and breezy weather. record highs in the 70s. thunderstorms south of richmond and the north side of richmond.

these are all moving northeast bound. they are likely to craze southern part of the counsel any in the next few hours. keep that in mind. even some thunderstorms off the southern tip of st. mary's county. flash floods across the metro area. the heaviest south of the advisory area. christmas, tomorrow, how about temperatures near 70. there will be some showers tomorrow afternoon. >> last call at the mall today. folks are out in full force to finish up the holiday shopping. mo lel green is live molette gr tyson's corner. i should have given you my list. you could have finished my shopping for me. >> reporter: i know. there are so many people here finishing up their shopping. it really has picked up since they opened here at 9:00 this morning. that's what the retailers here are banking on in this final run-up to christmas.

>> buy three, get three free. can't beat it. >> lucy is on a mission at the mall. these look nice. shopping fors la the-minute gifts for family. >> i af couphave a couple of st have to get to. i am doing it early. there is nobody here. >> you have a plan. not exactly good for retailers offering deep discounts in the final hours before christmas, specially since shoppers held back on black friday spending. according to the national retail federation, about 10% of holiday shoppers are finished. some 48% still deciding what to buy. nearly half say they are waiting until after christmas for those end of the year deals. >> h&m, macy's. >> we found a couple of buddies who do most of their buying on christmas eve. >> the annual trip, we come out every year and do christmas shopping on christmas eve. >> that's crazier, darius. >> it is. it is about the fellows hanging out, getting together and having cheer, mother, father,

daughters, wife, everyone. >> did you blow your budget, though? >> oh, yeah, yes, definitely. >> i think these are cheaper. >> shoppers like lucy don't seem so stressed even though time is running out. >> sometimes you can be a little naughty or sometimes you can be a little. >> a little nice. >> yes. it all ends here at tyson's about 5:00 p.m. you are looking now at the star wars setup inside the mall. that has been the big toy seller this holiday season. one of the big toy sellers this holiday season. only the restaurants and the movie theater will be open here after 5:00 p.m. we have put an entire list of stores and hours together so you can know in case you have to head out right now to go shopping so you can know where to go. check out that list inside our nbc washington app.

i'm mo llette green live at tyson's. >> last of last-minute shoppers are out today grabbing gift cards. the national retail federation asks consumers what they would do if they got one. most people, nearly 42%, in fact, said they would hold it until really good sales come along. nearly 20% say they plan to spend it right away. another 19% say they would hold on to those cards for a time when they feel they need to treat themselves. >> authorities are looking for two suspects close to a dozen burglaries in spotsylvania. the sheriff's department released these photos of the subjects in, a. they hit 11 businesses near route 1. if you know anything that can help track down these suspects, they are asking you to call the police. >> a conservative group in fairfax county is suing the school board over a new nondiscrimination policy. the liberty council claims the board violated virginia law by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the

nondiscrimination policy. supporters say the updated policy protects students and teachers who identify as lgbt. >> the governor of virginia is calling for acceptance after a controversial class assignment closed down schools. they closed last friday after a geography teacher asked students to write a muslim statement of faith. the governor says he thinks it was the wrong move. >> you want children to have a broad-based education. you want them to be taught different religions and languages. that's all part of what we need to be open and welcoming to everybody. >> school district leaders say they were concerned but there was never any specific threat to the schools. >> a baldy more county police officer is on administrative duty because of what you are seeing on this video. the police chief says the officer was part of this arrest on saturday in townsend. he says the 19-year-old resisted arrest and that's when the officer threw a punch.

the department is investigating whether the use of force was appropriate there. >> rolling stone wantsjudge to filed by members of the university of virginia fraternity. it is over a now widely discredited article that implicated the members of that group in an alleged gang rape. the frat members say they were defamed by the false story. the magazine is countering that the former students were never named in the article. lawsuits from a uva dean and i fraternity as a whole are also pending against the magazine. >> we are going to tell you what >> we are going to tell you what happened to a that sound. like nails on a chalkboard. but listen to this: (family talking) that's a different kind of sound.

the sound of the weekend. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. it's always worth remembering... that icing the cinnamon rolls is a privilege not a right. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. investigators are trying to figure out how a plane crashed into i aconcrete barrier in istanbul. the airbus was arriving from tehran and didn't stop at its position at the terminal. the plane crushed a bus underneath it and damaged the plane's wheel.

amazingly, no one was hurt and all the passengers were able to evacuate safely. >> an idaho lunch lady fired after giving a middle school student a free meal can go back to work. her school offered her job back after she was let go for what the school called theft. she says she doesn't regret what she did for the student. >> my heart hurt. i truly loved my job. i can't say i wouldn't do it again. >> the school says after the holiday break, they will provide food service training with ways to get help for hungry children that are in compliance with the school system. no word if bowden has accepted the offer to go back to work. >> a new study identified what may reduce head injuries on the football field like takin

they are warning that the account database may have been hacked. it doesn't store credit card information. spotify and broad live video contact with camera and computer over the web. you can celebrate the holidays like the first family by signing into spotify, the streaming music has a play list from the obamas and the bidens. topping the list for mr. and mrs. obama, is "o tannenbaum." joe biden and his wife went for bruce springsteen's "santa claus is coming to town." i'm social media editor, britney johnson. if you are looking for an even wider variety of christmas music, head to our play list. all you have to do is search christmas play list in our app and share your holiday photos with us as well using the

hashtag, nbc 4 holiday. i hope you7x all have a very my christmas. it doesn't feel like christmas eve at all. q 60s to around 70 degrees now. we are going to whoever around the l the lower 70s. much of the rain will taper off after 4:00, 5:00. dry and mild. heavy rain here south of fredericksburg along i-95. headed for southern maryland and thunderstorms here near smith island. that's headed out on the lower parts of the eastern shore. there is more where that came from. if you are traveling today or live down towards fredericksburg, be on the lookout. so, shopping today, rainy, warm, temperatures in the 70s. returning on saturday. maybe a few more showers. still, no cold air in sight. >> chuck mentioned that it doesn't feel like christmas eve. heck, it barely feels like football weather out there. we have learned wearing no helmet during drills may reduce the number of head injuries. the university of new hampshire

found that by not using helmets, players learn to adjust their tackling techniques and better protect their head. researchers used two groups to test their theory, one with helmets and one without. they had a decrease during practices and games. practices and games. >> why a

why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop.

11:45. "news 4 midday" continues. travel conditions. 95 south, heavy rain and thunderstorms. air travel, big delays are being reported in many of the big hubs. call ahead. our local airports, not too bad. atlanta, average delays more than an hour. it is getting worse. jfk and new york city, more than an hour and getting worse. also, getting worse there. a lot of troubles in other airports means some planes may not be getting in on time, which means getting out is all the harder. call ahead to your local carrier. meanwhile, there is the reason for the delays to our south. richmond, raleigh, charlotte, atlanta, impacted by rain and even thunderstorms here on christmas eve. barbara? >> thanks, chuck. senator ted cruise steppz stepp

response to a washington editorial he called tasteless as the candidates start to wind down for the christmas holiday. edward lawrence has a look at today's presidential politics. >> when they divide us up, they win. when we stand together as one people, with he win. >> the candidates for president may finally be taking a break from the rhetoric for the holidays. >> we celebrate christmas eve. we have 60 people coming over and some work to do. >> senator ted cruz took some party shots releasing this cartoon via twitter. it shows hillary clinton walking with what cruz described as her lap dogs. this in response to showing cruz as an organ grinder and his young daughters as monkeys. >> leave the kids alone. leave my kids alone, leave marco's kids alone. leave hillary's kids and

grandkids alone and "the washington post" should know that. >> this is the latest in a crazy week of political attacks and responses. donald trump has thrown the traditional campaign playbook out of the window. >> donald trump is about shaking the system to its roots and jun ending t upending the way we elect president. >> the latest poll shows that donald trump is leading with 39% of republican voters. second place, senator ted cruz at 18% t in washing, edward lawrence, nbc news. virginia is working to revamp its voting process ahead of the presidential primary on march 1st. it has reached a settlement on how to improve things. you may remember this site from 2012. in prince william county, some people waited hours in line to cast a vote. because of that mess, the state board has agreed to teach volunteers what to do. officials have also agreed to

consult with experts on things like setting up polling places and layout. a martial arts instructor is facing charges. his name is justin braddock. he threw a boy to the ground so hard on monday the 5-year-old was knocked unconscious. a fellow employee called the police. the boy had to go to the hospital with some serious injuries. braddock is out on bond facing felony child abuse charges. >> with everyone talking and singing about being home for the holidays, this can be specially difficult time for kids who are waiting and hoping for permanent adoptive homes. we want to introduce you to a team that is been busy filling up a big sack with holiday gifts specifically for our waiting wednesday's kids. you might be thinking that santa's efls areiqóeç actually santa's seniors in red hats. >> there were boaters an bonnets and bucket styles.

while the mill innary choices may vary, they are of one mind when it comes to helping children in foster care having a happy holiday season. the last parties, the red hat brigade put on for our wednesday's children. one event was a back to school bash. the red hat team had pooled resources from donations, bake sales, special events and from their own pockets too to buy school supplies for the children that year. >> thank you. >> this year, darren, a wednesday's child who is still waiting, came along with social worker adrian jubilee to a wonderful holiday luncheon. he was there to represent the many other children still waiting and hoping for adoptive families like seth and xavier and jeremiah and serena. >> like the lady that i was cooking with. i want to be just like her. >> there were gifts for each of

them from this party. the seniors of sunrise, whether in fantasy hats, caps, or advisors, have a unified vision, making the world just a little bit better for children in the community. they are ready to roll up their sleeves all year long to create a little happiness for kids during the holidays. >> if you have room in your home and your heart for one of our wednesday kids, please call our special adoption hotline. the number is 1-88-to-adopt-me. you can search wednesday's child on nbcwashington.com. >> have you ever

we know you are more likely to open your wallets during the month of december. >> to take holiday shopping to the next level.

>> the more you linger, the more you will buy. at least, that's what companies are hoping. experiential shopping it is being called. some say it is the future of retail. >> as shoppers prepare to be generous, so are some retailers. >> it is having that immersive opportunity say, i like your product. now, i want to like your brand. >> seeing is believing, smelling is loving. >> it is called experiential shopping, companies like origins are making large investments to find new ways of engaging their companies making shopping interactive and tactile with unlimited samples, facials and hand treatments. >> reporter: does it make a difference when it comes to sales? >> when a customer comes in, we know if she sits down in the chair, she will spend nearly 40% more if she doesn't have the experience. >> reporter: americans will spend more than $50 billion on holiday shopping this year. 90% are expected to make

purchases online. big incentive for stores like urban outfitters to follow suit and get customers off the internet and into the store. walk into new york city's herald square and you will find a hair salon, full service ka fay and photo booth. displays that encourage shoppers to touch, taste and tweet. 72% of mel inle yas say they would rather spend their money on experience versus product. give them both and sales figures show it is a winning combination. on chicago's mag mile, the mo toe shop is doing just that. >> the store is meant to be very ex experiential. over at the watch station, you can try on different bands and see which one you like and see which one looks best on your wrist. >> reporter: customers can grab a free cooky on the way to test out the world's first shatter-proof smart foep. >> this is almost therapeutic. >> you are getting a personalized touch and service.

>> seeing the store is like, wow. >> it is definitely experiential. i have never been in a store like this. >> stores hoping to capture the holiday spirit and make wish lists longer one experience at a time. >> this kind of shopping is likely to last well beyond the holidays. we are entering a trend where people wanto slow down. they want more from their shopping experience. >> take a look at this. look at that reaction is probably the best christmas surprise ever. we'll tell you what caused that

call it the ult mass christmas surprise. one woman got an unexpected visit from her son and daughter-in-law and her new granddaughter. >> the surprise was, she didn't know she was a grandmother. her son and daughter-in-law adopted the little girl and made

the trip home to give their mom an early christmas gift. >> wow, that's fantastic. congratulations to them. >> hey, chuck, what's going on? >> still have a little bit of rain to concern ourselves with, northern neck, fredericksburg, southern maryland. some thunder and lightning out of those storms as well. keep a they are eye to the sky. craze kri warmth. this will be a record. 75 on sunday will be a record. these overnight lows will be record warmth for this time of year. no winter in sight. >> thanks a lot, chuck. we leave you with a look at santa, already on the move out there. it is christmas already in places like australia. he is hard at work delivering gifts to little boys and girls, the good ones, that is, the north american aerospace defense command will be keeping an eye on him all evening long. they started tracking santa 60 years ago. >> wow, yeah. that's going to do it for "news 4 midday." thanks for joining us. we'll be back in the afternoon. >> don't forget to watch my special, christmas on nbc.

it is wonderful. it is wonderful. it's at 4:00 that sound. like nails on a chalkboard. but listen to this: (family talking) that's a different kind of sound. the sound of the weekend. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. it's always worth remembering... that icing the cinnamon rolls is a privilege not a right. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop.

>> announcer: it is the first day of the meredith vieira show. it is season two. steve harvey is here and giving a super fan a surprise of their life. and a performance like you've never seen. all starts right now, on meredith. ♪ makes you feel real good. ♪ makes you feel good. [applause] >> meredith: hello, everybody, welcome, welcome. it is september 8th. and first show of season two!